Basic Respiratory Physiology

Question 1

What are the 4 main functions of the respiratory system?

Answer 1

Gas Exchange
Acid base balance
Protection from infection
Communication via speech

Question 2

What is the waste product of oxygen being used to produce energy?

Answer 2

Carbon dioxide

Question 3

What type of blood does the pulmonary artery transport?

Answer 3

Deoxygenated

Question 4

Where is oxygen delivered to in the pulmonary circulation?

Answer 4

The heart

Question 5

What are the two main points of gas exchange within the respiratory system?

Answer 5

The lungs

Systemic capillaries

Question 6

What is the average volume of oxygen exchanged in the lungs per minute?

Answer 6

250 ml

Question 7

In which part of the respiratory system is the air shared with the digestive system?

Answer 7

The pharynx

Question 8

What is the name given to the small flap of tissue folding over the trachea to prevent food from entering the trachea?

Answer 8

Epiglottis

Question 9

Which parts make up the upper respiratory tract?

Answer 9

Pharynx
Nasal cavity
Vocal cords
Tongue
Larynx
Oesophagus

Question 10

Which parts make up the lower respiratory tract?

Answer 10

Lungs
Trachea
Bronchi
Diaphragm

Question 11

Which lung has 3 lobes?

Answer 11

The right lung

Question 12

What are the names of the 3 lobes in the right lung?

Answer 12

Superior
Middle
Inferior

Question 13

Where is the point of gas exhange in the airways?

Answer 13

Alveoli

Question 14

Which type of alveolar cells permit gas exchange?

Answer 14

Type 1 cells

Question 15

Which fluid produced by Type 2 alveolar cells reduces surface tension on the alveolar surface membrane

Answer 15

Surfactant

Question 16

What does surfactant reduce the tendency for alveoli to do?

Answer 16

Collapse

Question 17

Is surfactant more effective in smaller or larger alveoli?

Answer 17

Smaller alveoli

Question 18

At roughly what time gestation period does surfactant production start?

Answer 18

25 weeks

Question 19

What is the name given to the change in volume relative to change in pressure?

Answer 19

Compliance

Question 20

What does compliance represent?

Answer 20

The stretchability of the lungs

Question 21

Emphysema is the loss of what?

Answer 21

Elastic tissue

Question 22

Where is alveolar ventilation highest?

Answer 22

The base of the lung

Question 23

Give 2 examples of obstructive lung disorders

Answer 23

Chronic Bronchitis

Emphysema

Question 24

Which lung volume cannot be measured directly by spirometry?

Answer 24

Residual volume

Question 25

What does FEV1 stand for?

Answer 25

Forced expiratory volume in 1 second

Question 26

Which type of circulation sends oxygenated blood to the airway's smooth muscle?

Answer 26

Bronchial

Question 27

Which type of circulation carries the entire cardiac output from the right ventricle?

Answer 27

Pulmonary

Question 28

Where does the pulmonary circulation return oxygenated blood to?

Answer 28

Left Atrium

Question 29

Is vascular resistance higher at the base or the apex of the lung?

Answer 29

The apex

Question 30

Where in the lung is blood flow highest?

Answer 30

The base of the lung

Question 31

What is the name given to when ventilation is greater than blood flow?

Answer 31

Alveolar dead space

Question 32

What does the term anatomical dead space refer to?

Answer 32

Air in the conducting zone of the respiratory tract unable to participate in gas exchange

Question 33

The partial pressure only refers to what?

Answer 33

Oxygen dissolved in solution

Question 34

Where does most of the arterial oxygen content come from?

Answer 34

The haemoglobin in the RBCs

Question 35

How many oxygen molecules can haemoglobin co-operatively bind?

Answer 35

4

Question 36

What is the major determinant of teh degree to which haemoglobin is saturated with oxygen?

Answer 36

Partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood

Question 37

Why can a fetus extract oxygen from the mother's blood>

Answer 37

Due to foetal haemoglobin having a higher affinity for oxygen than HbA

Question 38

Why, in anaemic patients would arterial blood be normal?

Answer 38

Because ventilation is not affected, it is normal also

Question 39

If pH decreases, what will happen to the haemoglobin saturation?

Answer 39

It will also decrease

Question 40

DPG is produced as a result of what?

Answer 40

Red cell metabolism

Question 41

Why is carbon monoxide so dangerous?

Answer 41

It has a greater affinity than oxygen for haemoglobin

Question 42

In hypoventilation, what happens to the oxygen levels?

Answer 42

They decrease

Question 43

What is the name given to when more carbon dioxide is given off by the body?

Answer 43

Hyperventilation

Question 44

For the body to be able to breath, it requires a cycle of activation of what nerves?

Answer 44

Phrenic and Intercostal nerves

Question 45

Which nerves innervates the diaphragm?

Answer 45

The phrenic nerve

Question 46

What is the most important factor in changing the breathing rhythm?

Answer 46

The chemical composition of the blood

Question 47

What are the names of the 2 types of chemoreceptor?

Answer 47

Central and peripheral

Question 48

What is the central chemoreceptor controlled by?

Answer 48

The medulla

Question 49

Which chemoreceptor is responsible for the primary ventilatory drive?

Answer 49

The central chemoreceptor

Question 50

If arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide decreases, what can also decrease?

Answer 50

Ventilation rate

Question 51

What are peripheral chemoreceptors controlled by?

Answer 51

Carotid and aortic bodies

Question 52

The peripheral chemoreceptors stimulate ventilation following what?

Answer 52

A large fall in arterial partial pressure of oxygen

Question 53

True or False? any voluntary breathing pattern can be overriden by the cortex if need be

Answer 53

True

Question 54

During swallowing, respiration is inhibited to avoid what?

Answer 54

Aspiration of food or fluids into the airways

Question 55

What is the name given to the total air movement in and out of lungs?

Answer 55

Pulmonary ventilation